Lafourche Parish will see tougher fireworks law

Published: Monday, January 28, 2013 at 10:44 a.m.

Last Modified: Monday, January 28, 2013 at 10:44 a.m.

It could prove more difficult to get and use fireworks in Lafourche Parish.

The Parish Council recently upped fees vendors must pay to sell fireworks, set new rules for where stands can be located and is promising to enforce existing restrictions more vigorously than in the past.

Councilman Jerry Lafont is leading the campaign, complaining that fireworks stand owners are primarily out-of-state residents who unfairly take advantage of Lafourche residents while contributing little to the tax base.

“We don't see firework stands from local people anymore. They are people coming from out of state, they come in here and take our money and take our residents' money and leave,” he said.

Lafont had originally sought to impose a $1,500 fee for non-parish-residents seeking to host a firework stand.

He was forced to lower that proposed fee to $800 during last week's Parish Council meeting because of stipulations within the state's law.

Parish residents seeking to host a firework stand are subject to a $100 fee. Previously the parish charged a $200 annual permitting fee for stands.

“The parish should be benefitting more from out-of-state vendors that come in and make all this money from our residents,” Lafont said leading up to the previous meeting.

<p>It could prove more difficult to get and use fireworks in Lafourche Parish. </p><p>The Parish Council recently upped fees vendors must pay to sell fireworks, set new rules for where stands can be located and is promising to enforce existing restrictions more vigorously than in the past. </p><p>Councilman Jerry Lafont is leading the campaign, complaining that fireworks stand owners are primarily out-of-state residents who unfairly take advantage of Lafourche residents while contributing little to the tax base.</p><p>“We don't see firework stands from local people anymore. They are people coming from out of state, they come in here and take our money and take our residents' money and leave,” he said.</p><p>Lafont had originally sought to impose a $1,500 fee for non-parish-residents seeking to host a firework stand. </p><p>He was forced to lower that proposed fee to $800 during last week's Parish Council meeting because of stipulations within the state's law. </p><p>Parish residents seeking to host a firework stand are subject to a $100 fee. Previously the parish charged a $200 annual permitting fee for stands. </p><p>“The parish should be benefitting more from out-of-state vendors that come in and make all this money from our residents,” Lafont said leading up to the previous meeting. </p><p>The fee increase ultimately passed with the sole opposing vote coming from Councilman Phillip Gouaux. </p><p>Lafont said the fees should also be increased because more inspection hours are needed to enforce rules more stringently. </p><p>“It is going to start costing a lot of money to inspect all these places,” Lafont said. </p><p>Parish President Charlotte Randolph said there will be a greater effort to enforce restrictions that Lafont claims were regularly ignored regarding firework stands' distance from homes.</p><p>“You shouldn't be putting explosives next to people's houses,” Lafont added.</p><p>The parish as the right to rescind a permit if the rules are not followed, Lafont noted. </p><p>“Last year not everything was enforced ... this year the rules will be enforced,” Randolph said noting letters will be sent to firework-stand owners informing them of the restrictions. </p><p>Lafont pushed a successful amendment to parish ordinance last year banning firework stands near banks and nursing homes. </p><p>Firework stands were already prohibited within 300 feet of a church, synagogue, public library, public playground, school or private home. </p><p>Much of the discussion at last week's council meeting centered on how variances would be granted. </p><p>Gouaux sought to amend the parish's ordinances to allow variances for firework-stand owners who get a letter of support from neighbors. </p><p>That amendment failed as other council members said owners should still have to go before the council to ask for a variance. </p><p>“It doesn't make sense that (the council) give a variance to some but not others if in fact the neighbors, the one that are in so called danger, have no objection,” Gouaux said. </p><p>Gouaux's proposal got no support and although several firework stand owners were in attendance, none commented on the changes.</p>